Blueberry Oat Breakfast Bread
This delightful Blueberry Oat Breakfast Bread is a wholesome and comforting treat, perfect for starting your day or as a nourishing snack. Bursting with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas and juicy blueberries, its tender crumb and subtle lemon zest create a truly inviting aroma and flavor. Enjoy a slice of pure homemade goodness that's both satisfying and surprisingly easy to prepare.
Prep Time
15-20 minutes
Cook Time
45-55 minutes
Total Time
60-75 minutes
Servings
Makes 1 loaf (10-12 slices)
Keywords
Why This Recipe Delivers
- Naturally sweetened with banana and honey/maple syrup, reducing reliance on refined sugars.
- Made with oat flour, offering a naturally gluten-free option with a delightful texture.
- Packed with fiber from oats and antioxidants from blueberries for a healthy start.
- Incredibly versatile – perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a wholesome afternoon snack.
- A comforting, homemade aroma that fills your kitchen with warmth.
Ingredients
- 200 grams (2 cups) oat flour
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) baking powder
- 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) fine sea salt
- 120 ml (½ cup) honey or maple syrup
- 240 grams (1 cup) mashed ripe banana (about 1 large banana)
- 120 ml (½ cup) melted coconut oil or unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) fresh lemon zest (from 1-2 lemons)
- 30 grams (⅓ cup) old-fashioned rolled oats, plus extra for topping (optional)
- 150 grams (1 cup) fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen)
Instructions
- Prepare your oven and loaf pan by preheating the oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5-inch) loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the longer sides to easily lift the loaf out later. This prevents sticking and makes removal simple.
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Whisking ensures these dry ingredients are evenly distributed, leading to a consistent rise in the finished bread.
- In a blender, combine the honey or maple syrup, mashed banana, melted coconut oil or butter, room temperature eggs, pure vanilla extract, and fresh lemon zest. Blend these wet ingredients on medium speed until the mixture is completely smooth and appears light and frothy. Blending creates a uniform texture and incorporates air, which contributes to the bread's tenderness.
- Pour the blended wet mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredients. Slowly whisk the ingredients together until they are just combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in oat flour (though less than wheat flour), potentially leading to a tougher texture, so mix only until no dry streaks remain.
- Gently fold in the old-fashioned rolled oats into the batter. Next, carefully fold in the blueberries. If using frozen blueberries, incorporate them directly from the freezer to prevent them from bleeding too much into the batter. Avoid crushing the blueberries as you fold them.
- Pour the prepared batter evenly into the parchment-lined loaf pan. If desired, sprinkle a few extra rolled oats or a handful of fresh blueberries on top for an appealing finish.
- Bake the loaf for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of your bread begins to brown too quickly around the 35-minute mark, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. This crucial cooling period allows the bread to set and firm up, making it less likely to crumble when removed.
- After 10 minutes, use the parchment paper overhang to carefully lift the blueberry loaf out of the pan. Transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. Cooling fully ensures a clean cut and the best texture.
Tools You’ll Need
- 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Blender (or hand mixer with a large bowl)
- Measuring cups and spoons (or kitchen scale for precise metric measurements)
- Spatula or spoon for folding
- Wire cooling rack
- Wooden skewer or toothpick
Essential Success Tips
- Ensure your banana is very ripe (with plenty of brown spots) for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- Do not overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined; mix only until just incorporated to keep the bread tender.
- If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them. Adding them frozen helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom and bleeding into the batter.
- Room temperature eggs and melted coconut oil/butter ensure a smooth batter without lumps or curdling.
- Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing for the best texture and to prevent crumbling.
Professional Cooking Secrets
- To achieve an even lighter and fluffier texture, you can sift your oat flour before measuring. Oat flour can sometimes compact, and sifting helps aerate it.
- For an extra layer of flavor complexity, toast the old-fashioned rolled oats briefly in a dry pan before adding them to the batter. This brings out a nutty depth.
- If you're out of lemon zest, a tiny splash (1-2 ml) of apple cider vinegar can brighten the flavors and activate the baking powder similarly, though the lemon zest offers a unique aromatic profile.
Notes
- Storage: Store the Blueberry Oat Breakfast Bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: This bread freezes beautifully! Wrap individual slices or the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently warm in a toaster or oven.
- Variations: Feel free to add a sprinkle of cinnamon (2.5 ml / ½ teaspoon) for a warmer spice note, or swap out some of the blueberries for chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans for added crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this bread gluten-free?
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free as long as you use certified gluten-free oat flour and rolled oats to avoid cross-contamination.
What can I use if I don't have ripe bananas?
If your bananas aren't ripe enough, you can quickly ripen them by baking them unpeeled on a baking sheet at 150°C (300°F) for 15-20 minutes until the peels are black and shiny. Let them cool before mashing.
Why did my blueberries sink to the bottom?
Blueberries can sink if the batter is too thin or if they are too heavy for the batter. Ensure your batter isn't overmixed (which can thin it) and that you're using firm, fresh, or frozen (not thawed) blueberries. You can also lightly toss them in a teaspoon of oat flour before folding them into the batter to help them suspend.
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 280, Protein: 6g, Fat: 13g, Carbs: 38g, Fiber: 4g (per slice, estimated for 12 slices)
Allergy Information
Contains eggs. For a dairy-free version, ensure you use coconut oil instead of butter. To make it vegan, you can try substituting eggs with flax eggs (2 flax eggs = 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes). Contains gluten if not using certified gluten-free oat products.
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